3. +100

I just had that discussion with a very 'born again' white friend last night. She finally got right down to it and said that our country's birth rate was way too low. I said excuse me ..do you mean white babies cause I think we are still growing as a population. I couldn't believe it. She hails pro-life but really blames abortion for the lack of fresh white babies. Go figure.

9. "The only moral abortion is my abortion"

"In 1990, in the Boston area, Operation Rescue and other groups were regularly blockading the clinics, and many of us went every Saturday morning for months to help women and staff get in. As a result, we knew many of the 'antis' by face. One morning, a woman who had been a regular 'sidewalk counselor' went into the clinic with a young woman who looked like she was 16-17, and obviously her daughter. When the mother came out about an hour later, I had to go up and ask her if her daughter's situation had caused her to change her mind. 'I don't expect you to understand my daughter's situation!' she angrily replied. The following Saturday, she was back, pleading with women entering the clinic not to 'murder their babies.'" (Clinic escort, Massachusetts)

"In 1973, after Roe v. Wade, abortion became legal but had to be performed in a hospital. That of course was changed later. For the first 'legal abortion day' I had scheduled five procedures. While scrubbing between cases, I was accosted by the Chief of the OB/Gyn service. He asked me, 'How many children are you going to kill today?' My response, out of anger, was a familiar vulgar retort. About three months later, this born-again Christian called me to explain that he was against abortion but his daughter was only a junior in high school and was too young to have a baby and he was also afraid that if she did have a baby she would not want to put it up for adoption. I told him he did not need to explain the situation to me. 'All I need to know', I said, 'is that SHE wants an abortion.' Two years later I performed a second abortion on her during her college break. She thanked me and pleaded, 'Please don't tell my dad, he is still anti-abortion.'" (Physician, Washington State)

15. The 'pro-life' stance only works if you're willing to provide for the unwanted children

in ways that provide a loving home that will allow them education and the other things necessary to reach their full potential.

However, since the same people believe in the death penalty and other retributions, what the 'pro-choice' stance really comes down to is anti-woman...and probably anti-child, too. It's an affection for the mythical 'innocent babies' and nothing that applies in real life.

18. broad brushes are awesome!

My wife is prolife. She also believes that the state should ensure that every child has prenatal and postnatal care. She believes in full funded daycares and preschools. She believes in funding colleges and other educational programs so that poor women are able to have kids. She is most assuredly against the death penalty.

We she also wants to adopt a child from the third world.

Ill be happy to let her know she is "really anti-woman and anti-child."

16. Most pro-lifers believe that abortion should remain legal.

Every relative I know believes that abortion should remain legal, oppose almost every anti-abortion legislation that comes up, and will never, ever, under any circumstances vote for a candidate who is not pro-life.

They have this idea in their head that the "other" side in this debate is trying to convince people to get abortions. Pro-lifers routinely call pro-choicers hypocrites when pro-choicers have children. And we always have the same reaction : WTF?!? This is one of those issues where the two sides don't even seem to speak the same language.

Years ago the President of the Indiana Right to Life stated that Liberals believe people are generally good and the gov't should be there to help them when necessary while Conservatives know that people are inherently evil and need gov't to enforce God's law.

You and I read that statement and think it paints Conservatives as hateful pieces of shit. Yet, he wrote that as a Conservative. Apparently, when he reads that statement he sees it as claiming that Liberals are naive.

Joke told in a Conservative crowd:

"A man who speaks two languages is bilingual. A man who speaks more than two is multi-lingual. So what do you call a man who speaks only one language? ... American."

{laughter ... then he and I speaking at the same time}

Me: "Not often you hear a good American joke."
He: "And can you believe it was a Mexican who told me that joke."

Me: "Huh?"
He: "Huh?"

He and the other Conservatives in that crowd believe that joke makes fun of Mexicans. You and I see that joke as making fun of Americans. We really have a hard time understanding each other.

17. The pro life issue

is the conservative ace in the hole. When they are backed up in a corner, they scream 'baby killer' at the left and get their base all fired up. It is a wedge issue that has worked for them for years.

Not to say that this issue is not also important-- but there are certain issues that get people fired up--abortion, race baiting, and religious attacks--all of which conservatives specialize in--they are so predictable, and pathetic around election time.